Microsoft has made version 1.0 of its XNA Developer Kit available, enabling anyone to now create games for the Xbox 360. Based on the .NET framework, and the C# programming language, the dev kit is PC-only at the moment, and can be used to cross-develop games for both the PC and Xbox 360 platforms.

Running games developed with the framework can be done at no cost on a PC but will require a subscription to Microsoft’s Creators Club on the Xbox 360. Annual subscriptions cost $99 (£65 in UK), and four-month subscriptions are available for $49 (£33 in UK). The Creators Club is available in nearly all countries where the Xbox live service runs.

Currently, it will only be possible to share the games you create with other subscribers to the Creators Club. Microsoft says it is looking at ways in which the potential audience can be broadened in future. An expanded professional version of the product, which will allow the creation of fully-fledged commercial Xbox 360 games, will be released next year.

The XNA framework includes a rich set of libraries designed to make it easy for home developers to harness multimedia content in their games. No networking facilities are yet available, however, so don’t expect homebrew Xbox live games just yet.

Microsoft has also announced a games development contest for those using the framework. Beginning in January, the contest is called DreamBuildPlay, and the winners will be able to pick up as yet unspecified prizes. Read more about it here.